


What's A Few Bucks and My Heart?

by pterosounds



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Runaway AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 17:43:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5099831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pterosounds/pseuds/pterosounds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura was done with abuse from her father, so she did the only thing she thought reasonable: she left home. But being 17 and on her own in a big city in the middle of the winter was not one of Laura's best-laid plans and just as all seems lost, she quite literally runs into a stranger who might just help her survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's A Few Bucks and My Heart?

Her feet pounded on the pavement as her breath puffed out in clouds in the cool November air. Why she chose to run away at the cusp of Winter is something she could chastise herself for later. Currently, Laura was just focused on the heavy bag on her back and the three crumpled 20s in her pocket that she stole from her dad’s wallet.

Some part of her felt like “running away” probably didn’t actually involve this much running if no one was actively pursuing her. One thing she was smart about in her timing: leaving at 3am, sure that her dad was asleep.

God, her father. He was such a well-meaning man. Was it really his fault his wife left him? Well yes, but… Was it his fault he turned to drinking to deal with it? Also yes…

Leaning against a lamppost to catch her breath, Laura furrowed her brow as she thought about him. Instinctively her hand reached up to brush the forming bruise along her cheekbone. It had been an accident the first time, she was sure. As soon as he had slapped her, she saw fear and regret cut through the drunk haze in his eyes. She forgave him, hugged him, and let him cry for a while. The pink mark on her cheek had faded in two days.

But the second time she wasn’t so sure about. He hadn’t been as drunk, but definitely angrier. And that made it worse. It wasn’t open-handed that time. A retired airman’s punch isn’t something you can take lightly, especially when you’re a 5 foot 17 year old girl. She doesn’t even remember what sparked the argument, maybe she had asked him about the alcohol again? So maybe that was her fault…

No. No it wasn’t. She shook her head and started walking again, her hands in her pockets. She was in downtown Vancouver now and she just wanted somewhere to sleep. A hostel seemed like her most viable, albeit temporary option. Her heart dropped slightly when she realized she hadn’t really thought this plan out entirely. Regardless, she pushed the door open and asked the nightly fare.

18 bucks a night. The stolen 60 dollars was not going to last her long. With a sigh, she handed over a 20, took her change and a key, and trudged into her room. She slept fitfully, and woke up to someone, either in her room or an adjacent one, loudly having sex. A glance at her watch said it was 8. Four and a half hours of sleep was going to have to do. She was hungry, and needed to find more money somehow. A McDonald’s breakfast of a sausage McMuffin and a hashbrown warmed and filled her up, despite leaving a film over her tongue like it always did.

As she munched on her hashbrown, she thought about her dad waking up and realizing she wasn’t there. A bittersweet smile crossed her lips at the idea of how mad he would be, but her face fell as a hard realization hit her.

She left him, just like her mother did.

The rest of the day, Laura spent trying to spend as little money as possible on food, since she still needed 18 more dollars for another night at the hostel, with guilt nagging at the back of her head.

End of Day One completely on her own, and $26.84 of her $60 was left. Reluctantly, she handed over another 18 to the desk attendant. Make that $8.84.

Silently, she cried herself to sleep. This was a mistake, but if she went back now, she just knew that her dad would be furious. Angrier than he had ever been, probably more drunk. God knows what he would do to her…

There were no crude wakeup calls the next morning, which Laura was thankful for, but being awake means remembering that she’s in a hostel with little less than 9 dollars to her name.

Another McDonald’s breakfast, thank you dollar menu, of a plain McMuffin (no hashbrowns, she can’t afford that luxury) and she was off to look for jobs. She considered the fast food restaurant, but they weren’t hiring.

She passed several convenience stores, and entered one that said they were looking for late-night cashiers. The bell on the door jingled as she stepped in, and the store was only occupied by the current cashier, a tired-looking man in a suit, and another teenage girl. Laura’s gaze lingered on her. She was pretty, no, she was gorgeous. Black hair pulled back into a messy bun, an angular face, and a worn-out slightly over-sized leather jacket gave her a certain “better than you and I know it” vibe. The girl seemed to sense eyes on her and looked up at Laura, her passive face turning into a small smirk. Laura started and looked away, shuffling over to the counter.

“Hi, the sign says you’re hiring?”

The cashier, a greasy elderly man who reeked of tobacco, nodded and handed her an application. “It’d be quite a pleasure to get to work with a piece like you, honey.” He croaked out, giving her a grin that only had about half the teeth it should have.

“Uh… I’m.. I’m sure.” You need a job, Hollis. This is the real world. Sexism exists. Creepy, sexist, old men exist.

Laura thanked him and turned around. Her stomach growled and she sighed, her eyes scanning the store for anything to eat. She grabbed some chips that bragged about only being 79 cents and went to go buy them before she saw the cashier was still grinning at her. Her heart sped up and her eyes darted towards the door.

She was running low on money. She was going to have to resort to this eventually. She was a fast runner. She could do this.

Idly, she wondered over to shelves closer to the door, pretending to browse whatever was there, before whipping around and bolting for the exit. She collided with something, however, and went tumbling out onto the sidewalk with her victim, the dark haired girl from inside.

“God fucking damnit!” The girl hissed, bags of jerky falling out of her jacket.

“I’m so sorry!” You spit out, trying to help her pick them up.

“Forget it, dumbass.” She stands up and swears again. “Evening, Officer.”

Your heart stops.

“It’s noon.” The woman huffs back.

“No no no, I can’t be arrested. This is my first time, I’m just hungry!” You feel tears spring up in your eyes as you stare at the badge on the woman’s chest.

“To the station, both of you. We’re calling your parents.”

Laura couldn’t stop the tears as she was put into the back of a patrol car with the other girl, who seemed more annoyed than distraught that all of this was happening.

When they got there, Laura managed to wipe her face clean, but it was still splotchy and her eyes were still bloodshot.

The officer sat down at a desk and motioned for the two girls to do the same.

“What are your names?”

The dark haired girl spoke first. “Jane.”

“Jane what?”

“Doe. Or Smith, whichever you bourgeois pigs need for your documents.”

Laura bit back a gasp. How was this girl so crass to the police?

“Young lady, if you don’t comply-”

“Morgan. Jane Morgan.” She muttered, her eyes narrowing as if to challenge the officer.

“And you?” The woman sighed, realizing she wasn’t getting any more from the other girl.

“L-Laura Holl-” She could see the other girl shake her head from the corner of her eye. Should she make up a name? If she didn’t, they could possibly call her dad… Oh jeez.

“Laura Hall?” The officer asked.

“Yes. That’s me! Laura Hall!” She forced a grin, which quickly fell as the officer looked down at the paperwork she was filling out.

She asked a few more questions to fill out the paperwork, all of which Jane gave snarky remarks to. Eventually came the question Laura was dreading. “A number to contact your parents or guardians at?”

Carmilla snorted. “Don’t have one.”

“We could look it up, you know. This is just more convenient, Ms. Morgan.” The officer muttered.

“What about the past 30 minutes makes you think I want anything to be convenient for you?” She tilted her head to the side as she asked, and again Laura was in awe with her nonchalance.

“Fine.” The officer said curtly. “Ms. Hall?”

Laura shook her head, and caught Carmilla’s shoulders shaking with a silent laugh.

The officer groaned and stood up. “Into a holding cell, both of you. You’re staying for the night until I can find someone to take you two delinquents away.”

Delinquent? Laura has never been a ‘delinquent’ before. The name almost made her giddy.

That sensation went away with the clang of the barred cell door.

“Oh, crap. This is a real cell.” She whispered.

Jane snorted from the other side of the small room. “You think they were gonna put us in some hotel room or something, cutie?”

“No!” Laura huffed, crossing her arms.

“So, are you really on your own or do you actually have someone picking you up and you just wanted to impress me?” Jane asked.

“Impress you? Please.” Laura laughs awkwardly. “Wh- Why would I-”

Jane raised an eyebrow at Laura, her smirk twitching at the corner of her lips.

“No, I don’t have anyone. Not under the name ‘Hall’ at least.” Laura smiled sheepishly.

Jane laughed at that. “What is your real name, then, cupcake?” She whispered, leaning closer to her.

“Hollis. Laura Hollis.” She was a bit worried Jane was going ask why the fake name, but she didn’t press and simply leaned back against the wall.

“What about you, Jane Morgan. What’s your real name?”

The dark-haired girl’s eyes seemed to scan and study Laura, as if that was determining whether or not to tell.

“Carmilla.”

Laura held back a grin. “Carmilla what?”

“Just Carmilla.”

The rest of the evening in the cell was spent in silence, sometimes interrupted by Laura humming to herself or Carmilla coughing, but no more conversation was made.

Laura fell asleep sitting up, her head nestled in the corner of the cell, and was woken up by the cell door opening.

“Get up.” A different officer than the one that had arrested them, a male one, stood at the door. Laura and Carmilla did as he asked.

“Neither of you are on file. So we’re assuming you’re both homeless, is this correct?”

Carmilla shrugged. “You could say that.”

The cop looked at Laura expectantly. “I guess I am, yeah.”

“Right, so you’re going with Officer Whittaker. He’s going to take both of you to a shelter. If me or any of my officers catch you two shoplifting again, you’re both being carted off to juvie, understood?”

Laura nodded quickly while Carmilla just rolled her eyes.

“Do we get our things back? Like my backpack and stuff? Not the chips I stole, obviously.” Laura asked.

The officer nodded and handed it over to her. “Stay outta trouble ladies.”

Officer Whittaker looked like a rookie with his shirt dry cleaned and pressed and a goofy smile on his freshly shaven face.

“Howdy, girls. Off to the Hamptons now, are we?” He laughs as he leads them out to a patrol car. Carmilla and Laura climb into the back, and during the short car ride to the shelter, the officer continuously attempted conversation.

The shelter was in barely better condition than the hostel Laura had stayed in, so there wasn’t much she could complain about. The head of the house, a middle-aged woman with a kind smile and loving eyes, showed Carmilla and Laura upstairs where she put them in a room with four beds, two of which were occupied. The other two free ones were right next to one another, and Carmilla immediately claimed the one that only neighbored the other free bed.

“I’ll get sheets for you two in a jiffy.” The woman said, patting them both on the shoulder, which Carmilla skillfully ducked away from.

Living in the shelter was easy. The head of the house, Vicky, only had three rules: 1. Don’t be out past midnight, 2. No smoking, drugs, or alcohol in the building, and 3. Keep your room clean. All of which Laura could easily follow. Carmilla on the other hand, was apparently very bad at listening to any organized set of rules. Several times Laura woke up to Carmilla stomping into the room in the wee hours of the morning. Carmilla drank and smoked cigarettes (and what Laura suspected was not cigarettes) in the room. And while those were annoying and concerning, Carmilla’s complete lack of consideration for the cleanliness of the room was appalling. Her pants or underwear would end up in the middle of the floor between the four beds, sometimes a spare rum bottle or cigarette butt would find it’s way out in the open.

Their other roommates were okay. Quiet, but they cleaned after themselves and Carmilla without complaint.

The first few nights were rough for Laura emotionally, though. Again, she was wracked with the guilt of leaving her father, and several times she couldn’t keep the sobs quiet. One afternoon, it hit her as she was reading one of the books she had taken from home. Carmilla was napping, woken up by Laura’s choked sob.

“S-sorry, Carmilla.” She stuttered out. The dark haired girl sighed and sat up.

“What’s so horrible in your life that you’ve been crying for the past week?” She asked, no compassion in her voice. She wasn’t interested in consoling Laura, just getting her to shut up. And part of Laura knew that, but she was going to take what she could get.

“What do you mean? I’m homeless! I literally don’t have a home because…” She sniffled. “Because I left mine.”

“Oh, please.” Carmilla rolled her eyes. “How bad could it have been? What did mommy do? Refuse to let you go out? Did daddy take away your phone because you were texting a boy?” She taunted.

Laura scoffed, tears still rolling down her cheeks. “Really? You really want to know? My mom left us, Carmilla!” Laura shouted, standing up. “Just packed up and left without warning. We still don’t know why! And my dad? My dad started drinking. And… And…” She sobbed a few more times her hand going up to the bruise that had almost faded in the week she’d been gone. “When he got drunk he hit me. And I couldn’t do it anymore!” She jabbed a finger at Carmilla’s chest. The other girl’s eyes were wide now. “And you know what? People have different ways of coping with… with sh-stuff. Not everyone just becomes completely disaffected and apathetic and miserable like you do, Carmilla!”

Shouting took it out of Laura, and she simply fell back onto her own bed, her sobs softer now as her hands covered her face. She could feel her mattress shift as someone sat next to her

“Hey.” Carmilla murmured after the sobs died down.

Laura looked up at her from between her fingers. “Hey.”

“Wanna know what makes me feel better?”

“Is it illegal?” Laura grumbled.

Carmilla chuckled. “So what if it is?” She grabbed Laura’s hand and put it around the neck of a bottle of vodka. “Take a swig of this and I’m gonna show you how to steal shit.”

Laura sat up and stared at the bottle before sniffing it and taking a tiny sip. Her face screwed up tight and she shook her head. “Hard pass on that part. What would we be stealing?”

Carmilla raised an eyebrow as she screwed the cap back on the bottle and rolled it under her own bed. “We’ll start with pickpocketing, earn us some cash to get some better food than the stuff here.”

“Hey! Vicky tries! And… I don’t know about stealing…”

“Tries being the operative word, cutie.” Carmilla stood and held out her hand. Laura took it with a tight lipped smile.

They grabbed their coats and headed out.

“First thing’s first,” Carmilla said as they meandered down the street. “Winter makes it easier. Big coats.”

“Keep walking.” She whispered. Carmilla broke her smooth stride and stumbled a bit, bumping into a stranger. “Christ, sorry.” She straightened up and matched her steps with Laura’s again, holding a wallet in her hand. “Tada.”

Laura gasped and playfully hit her arm. “No way! How much is in it?”

Carmilla laughed as she unfolded it. “Where’s the apprehensive poptart from earlier?” She murmured as she leafed through the different pockets.

“Shush, we… we need money.”

“45 dollars! And also, never take credit cards. They can track those.” She tossed the wallet in a trashcan they passed and pocketed the cash. “Wanna learn how?”

Laura nodded a bit too enthusiastically and Carmilla tugged them into an alley.

“So in slow motion.” The dark haired girl moved Laura in front of her. “We’re walking opposite directions, I stumble, shoulder you, and feel for your pocket.” She acted out everything slowly so Laura could watch. And Carmilla was so close to her, she could smell stale cigarettes and something else that she could only describe as Carmilla. “Sometimes it’s a phone, sometimes it’s a wallet, sometimes it’s nothing. If you feel nothing, keep walking. Cell phones are trackable, so don’t bother with those, either. Really it’s just for the money, not for the sake of stealing. For you, at least.” She smirked at that as her hand slipped into Laura’s coat pocket. Laura could feel the warmth of the other girl’s hand against her stomach, and her heart stuttered. “Now pretend I secured your wallet. Shit I’m sorry, icy sidewalks.” She pat Laura’s shoulder with her free hand. “Some other physical contact distracts them from the pull.” Carmilla held up her other hand and Laura rolled her eyes. “All that’s left is to walk away as fast as possible, but not so fast that you look suspicious. Try on me.” Carmilla motioned to herself as she stepped away.

Laura walked towards her and pretended to stumble, her shoulder hitting Carmilla’s. “Oh jeez, sorry.” Her hand slipped into Carmilla’s pocket and she felt the wad of cash she had nicked from the man earlier. “City needs to better salt the streets, right?” Laura laughed and pat Carmilla’s shoulder, simultaneously sliding her hand out with the money between her fingers. She then shuffled away a few paces before turning around and laughing victoriously. “I stole the 45 dollars back!” Laura whooped. Carmilla’s jaw dropped as she shoved both of her hands back in her pockets.

“I’ll be damned, Hollis. I thought we were just practicing.” Her smile is similar to her smirk, but softer somehow, and something about it warms Laura’s heart. The lighter haired girl handed the money back, but Carmilla shook her head. “It’s yours, you took it fair and square.”

Laura grinned and put the folded bills in her jeans pocket. “Let’s go get some lunch and go back ho- back to the shelter.” They ate at some corner diner, watched people and came up with stories for them, and Laura paid.

“I’m not sure I forgive you for yelling at me earlier, but you’re not so bad and scary, Carmilla.” Laura broke the silence as they walked back after.

“You don’t know me well, sweetheart.” When Laura flinched Carmilla looked at her. “What?”

“Don’t… The other pet names are fine, even if they’re a bit weird, but not that one. My dad uses that one.” Laura’s voice was small and her hands her tucked under her arms.

Carmilla nodded and said nothing else as they walked into the shelter and up to their rooms. “Wanna make a bet?” She asked as they settled down on their beds.

“What about?” Laura sighed as she took a composition notebook and pencil from her backpack.

“It was sub-Arctic today. I bet it’s gonna snow tomorrow.” Carmilla said, looking out the window at the grey sky.

Laura looked over at it, too and hummed, tapping the pencil to her lips. “And I’m supposed to bet that it won’t?”

“Yes, the rest of today’s loot is the jackpot.”

Laura scoffed and turned her head towards Carmilla. “Half!”

“I’m an all or nothing kinda gal, buttercup.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Whatever, you stole it anyways. What do I get from this? What if I win?”

Carmilla sat up in her bed and wiggled her eyebrows. “A kiss.”

Laura gasped and sputtered as she briefly choked on her own spittle. Heat rushed to her cheeks and she knew she was bright pink. “What?” She croaked.

Carmilla was laughing, and laying back down. “Kidding, cutie. Don’t get so worked up, you’ll give a girl the wrong message.” She closed her eyes and folded her hands together on her chest.

As Laura watched Carmilla’s chest rise and fall, she wondered why Carmilla was being so nice to her when just hours ago she had been so vile. Something in her sob story must have touched the other girl. Laura sighed and picked her notebook back up before starting to write about what Carmilla taught her and adding a list of modifications to try or ask about.

The next morning, Laura lay in bed debating rushing over to the window. Did she even want to win this bet? Did she want a kiss from Carmilla? Had the other girl been joking?

Steeling herself for both possibilities, she walked over to the window quietly, making sure not to wake the other two roommates.

Not a single snowflake in sight. Her heart rose up to her throat and she glanced over at where Carmilla lay sprawled out on her bed, sleeping. The sky still had the entire day to make up it’s mind, Laura told herself.

They ate breakfast at the shelter together before Carmilla left to make “personal purchases” which Laura knew meant booze and pot. It was such a waste of money, in Laura’s opinion. At least Carmilla seemed mindful enough to not make those purchases while with Laura.

Between reading and rereading the few books she had brought with her, the day passed slowly, and Carmilla was out for most of it, leaving no one for Laura to talk to. Several times she peeked out windows to check the weather, and something like dread and something like excitement both bubbled up inside of her each time she saw the bare ground.

Carmilla came back five minutes before midnight. “Look at you, back before curfew. What’s the special occasion?” Laura glanced at the brown paper bag the other girl had tucked under her arm.

“I need to be here at midnight to see if I win or not, buttercup.” Carmilla plopped down on Laura’s bed and pulled a bottle of wine out of the bag.

“I think you win no matter what.” Laura muttered, hiding behind her book before her brief lapse in reservation came to bite her.

“Why is that?”

Laura couldn’t see it, but she could hear the smirk in Carmilla’s voice.

“You’re so cocky!” Laura sighed, dropping the book to her lap.

“That is why I bought myself this celebratory 12 dollar bottle of grocery store wine.” Carmilla held up the bottle before looking at the clock on the wall. “One minute until it snows. Come on, mother winter.”

“I think you mean one minute until it doesn’t.” Laura grinned and approached the window. Her gaze went between outside and the clock as the second hand ticked its way around to 12 once more. She crossed her fingers as her eyes whizzed back and forth until it was officially midnight.

“Woohoo!” She shouted and jumped onto her bed. “In your face, smarty pants. I get to keep my money.”

Carmilla watched her with an amused expression. “You ready for your victory kiss?”

Laura’s smile fell as she stilled on the bed. “Y-you were serious?”

“I always keep up my end of a deal, even if we didn’t shake on it.” Carmilla’s eyes dropped to Laura’s lips, and Laura thought she could have died right then. She knew she should be moving or something, but she was stuck in place. Carmilla leaned in closer until their faces were inches apart. “Congratulations, cutie.” Carmilla whispered. Accepting her body wasn’t going to react, Laura simply closed her eyes and waited.

Her eyes shot right back open, however, when she felt cold foil instead of Carmilla’s mouth press against her lips. Laura reached up and took the Hershey Kiss. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh my god.”

“A kiss.” Carmilla’s grin was ear to ear. She was so proud of herself. Laura playfully shoved her as she unwrapped the chocolate and popped it in her mouth.

“I despise you.”

“I know.” Carmilla laughed softly and shook the wine bag in front of her, something rattling around inside. “More where that came from, too.”

Laura groaned and pushed Carmilla out of her bed, snatching the bag as the other girl stood up.

“Don’t get too carried away. I heard kisses are addicting.” Carmilla winked and left the room with her toothbrush in hand.

Laura sighed and fell forward on her bed.

“Worst. Crush. Ever.”

\------

Over the course of the next week, Carmilla took Laura out a few more times, and Laura even managed to secure her first wallet. They celebrated by blowing all of it (a crumpled 20) on candy. Carmilla kept trying to convince Laura to try shoplifting again and that there were tips and tricks for it, but Laura kept refusing.

“What if we get caught again?” Laura muttered as they put their coats on to go out for the day.

“What if you get caught picking someone’s wallet?” Carmilla countered, wrapping a scarf around her neck and pushing out the door. The other girl followed after and they strolled down the sidewalk.

Just as Laura thought the subject was dropped, Carmilla bumped their shoulders. “Well?”

Laura sighed and threw her hands in the air. “I don’t know!”

“Whatever, cupcake. I’m in the mood for a bag of chips, and I’m not gonna pick someone just for one lousy bag.” Carmilla huffed and turned into a convenience store abruptly.

“Carm! Wh- no! Oh my god…” Laura pinched the bridge of her nose and walked in, ignoring the satisfied smirk on Carmilla’s lips.

“Now the point is to stock up on what you came in for, and make sure it’s worth it.” Carmilla said under her breath as she grabbed a large can of Pringles. She slipped it under her jacket and then switched aisles. “Then you buy something small. This gum, for example is only 60 cents. The chips? Almost 2 dollars for the big cans.” Carmilla grabbed the pack of gum and walked up to the register as if there wasn’t contraband under her coat.

“This all for you today?” The teenaged check-out boy asked.

“Yup.” Carmilla said shortly, handing over exact coin change and taking the gum with her.

Laura joined her back at the door and they walked out together. They began walking once more, and Laura let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

“Crapsticks.” She muttered.

“Watch your mouth, young lady.” Carmilla chuckled as she peeled open the can and started eating them.

“It’s that easy?” Laura murmured, watching as Carmilla licked her fingers clean of salt.

“That easy, cutie. How much do you have on you?”

Laura patted her pockets and pulled out a small fold of cash. “8 bucks.”

Carmilla tsked her tongue.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s go back home. I was just craving Pringles.”

The next day they were on a pick run. Carmilla wanted more alcohol, and Laura was always game for more money. She had started saving all of her coin change in an old bottle that she cut a slot in like a piggy bank. She kept it under her bed and a secret from Carmilla. Despite their abrupt closeness, Laura still didn’t completely trust the other girl, considering she was a kleptomaniac who didn’t keep her habits limited to passer-by and gas stations. Several times Laura found Carmilla reading one of Laura’s books, and other times Laura’s pillow miraculously made it’s way onto the other girl’s bed. So yeah, her secret money stash stayed hidden.

Laura managed to nab a woman’s coin purse without a hitch, and came bouncing back to carmilla. “I’m getting good at this whole stealing thing!” she laughed.

Carmilla rolled her eyes but she was smiling as she took the small purse and opened it to begin counting. “Please, what’s a few bucks and my heart?”

Laura didn’t quite register the other girl’s words as a sign on the gas station window across the street caught her eye. It was an ad for her favorite brand of processed cookies. The packages were always like 5 dollars, though, and she could never justify spending that much on junk food when that could pay for a full meal at McDonald’s. Her dad would always buy her a pack of the cookies if she did well in school and they would eat them together with a glass of milk between them..

“Should I be jealous of who you’re staring at?” Carmilla’s low voice broke Laura out of her reverie.

“Wha- oh, I was just looking at… Cookies.” Laura admitted, and Carmilla rolled her eyes.

“We can get lunch soon. I’m almost done taking inventory of this loot and then we can go.”

Laura nodded and looked back at the sign. Something next to it caught her eye. Frowning, she crossed the street, earning her a honk from a car screeching to a halt and Carmilla shouting her name.

“What the frilly hell do you think you’re doing, Hollis?” Carmilla hissed as they stepped up on the curb on the other side of the road. Laura kept walking forward until she could make sure the poster was what she thought it was.

A picture of Laura from the previous summer with a big smile on her face and the words MISSING above it. Under it was contact information for her father, and she felt her stomach churn.

“Oh, cupcake.” Carmilla murmured, seeing the flyer.

“He’s looking for me.” Laura croaked out.

“Fuck him.” Carmilla snatched the flyer and balled it up before sticking it in her pocket. “Who are you?”

Laura looked up at her with confusion plastered across her face.

“You heard me, sundance. Who are you?” Carmilla crossed her arms.

“Laura?”

“Exactly. You are your own person. No one owns you and you don’t owe anyone anything.” Carmilla said. “He hit you. So what if he misses you?”

Laura furrowed her brow and Carmilla sighed. She finished off her can of Pringles and threw the empty container away. “Come on, we’re gonna steal more shit to get your mind off of this. Show the cookie you were eyeballing.”

Carmilla tugged Laura into the store and Laura led them back to the aisle the cookies were in. Carmilla hummed and nodded. “Okay, so the biggest package could easily slip under the side of your coat. Five bucks. Yeesh, we’re dipping into luxury.” Laura laughed a little bit at that. “What’s your Trojan horse?”

Laura looked around the store and grabbed a bag of Skittles before slipping the cookies under her jacket. The package made a loud crinkling sound and both of them cringed a little.

“It’s fine, we just have to work fast.” Carmilla smiles at Laura, and it’s probably the kindest smile the dark haired girl had ever given her. It was warm and sincere, but still had that characteristic sparkle that Carm’s eyes had when they were doing things they knew they shouldn’t. That light quickly left when the door opened again, and their officer friend from when they first met walked in.

“When I run, you run, do you understand?” Carmilla whispered in Laura’s ear, and Laura simply nodded. Carmilla’s eyes flitted between the door and the cop.

“Hey, you two gonna buy something or just gonna stand there gripping a bag of Skittles?” The cashier called attention to them, and Laura felt like she was about to throw up. But at the same time, her heart was racing, and she couldn’t help the smile split across her lips as Carmilla muttered run as soon as the cop recognized them. Laura pulled the cookies out and securely held them to her chest before bolting out of the store after Carmilla.

The dark haired girl led them down an alleyway, and Laura could hear the cop behind them. “She’s tailing us!” Laura laughed, though she didn’t mean to.

“Don’t lose me, Laura! I know these streets better than the back of my hand, we’ll shake her.” Without realizing it, they were soon holding hands and laughing with each other as they snaked through and doubled back around the alleys until they were both sure the cop was gone.

Out of breath, Laura leaned her weight against a wall and held the cookie above her like a trophy. Carmilla beamed at her as they laugh breathlessly and something else in the air snapped because suddenly Carmilla’s lips were on Laura’s and they were kissing slowly but surely. Carmilla’s hands settled on Laura’s hips and pushed her completely against the wall while Laura’s arms dropped to Carm’s shoulders, cookies still in hand. When they pulled apart, Laura had a dopey smile on her face.

She searched for the words to say but all her mouth could muster was “Hey.”

Carmilla laughed quietly and pressed their foreheads together. “Hey.”

“Hey!” Both of them looked up to see the cop storming towards them, and they quickly scurried back to the shelter, where Vicky diverted the officer, swearing that “the girls have been in here all day” and that the officer must “be confused and have the wrong place.”

“Thank god for that woman.” Laura muttered as they sat down on her bed, the skittles and cookies between them.

“Let’s dig in to our spoils.” Carmilla said, ripping open the package and taking three for herself. Laura felt a tug at her chest as she took a few cookies as well before resealing them and sliding them under her bed with the rest of her snacks.

Carmilla ate each of hers in two bites and got up. “Come outside with me. We’re gonna do something else. We’re not leaving, you don’t even need to put your coat back on and you can take your cookies.”

Laura stood up with her and followed her onto the front porch where carmilla pulled out the crumpled flyer.

“Look at me, Laura.”

The use of her real name cleared her mind like a bucket of cold water to the face. Carmilla placed the balled-up paper in Laura’s hands.

“This is how I feel about your old man looking for you.” Carmilla pulled out a cigarette box and opened it to reveal a lighter and a collection of different cigarettes at different stages of being smoked, only one being completely fresh. Carmilla took the lighter and one of the shorter cigarettes before closing the box and sliding it back in her pocket. She put the cigarette between her lips and flicked the lighter on. “Light it on fire and hold it until you’re too afraid to anymore.”

“What-”

“I don’t stutter and I know you hang on every word I say, cutie. Set. It. On. Fire.”

Something dark was in Carmilla’s eyes, but it wasn’t scary. It was exciting. Laura hesitantly held the paper over the flame of the lighter, squeaking a bit when it caught.

“Hold it hold it!” Carmilla leaned forward and lit the cigarette over the burning paper before leaning back with a classic Carmilla smirk. She took a long drag of the cigarette and watched as Laura gasped as dropped the ball of paper onto the sidewalk.

Carmilla stomped on it and twisted her heel, effectively snuffing the fire.

“How’d that make you feel?” Carmilla said with an exhale, making sure to breathe the smoke away from Laura.

“Good.” Laura smiled sadly, her eyes locked on the orange embers of the end of Carmilla’s cigarette.

“I’d offer you a hit.” The dark haired girl said before her next inhale. She held it for a while. “But I’m stingy and I also know you’d say no anyways.”

Laura shrugged, and her smile was a little less sad, now. “Won’t knock it until I try it. You’ve made me try a few things I’m uncomfortable with.”

Carmilla laughed. “Cigarettes kill, Laura Hollis. Don’t buy into peer pressure.”

“Who pressured you?” It was meant to be playful but came out much more intrusive than Laura meant. “Crap, that was- I mean like-”

Carmilla sighed her last drag before putting out the cigarette and leaving the butt with the ashes of the flyer. “Quiet, cupcake. You’re gonna have a stroke. It’s cold out here.” And with that, they went back upstairs. They lay on Laura’s bed and Carmilla curled up to Laura.

She smelled of cigarette smoke and cookies and a scent that can’t be described as anything but ‘Carmilla’.

“I’m almost 18, and my mother kicked me out of the house on my 13th birthday.” Carmilla said, breaking the silence. Laura nodded, and waited for the other girl to tell her story at her own pace.

“She had seen me kissing my friend from school, Ell. It had only been one chaste peck, but it was more than enough. At first I was just grounded, but I wasn’t exactly the best child before that incident, either. A strict mother is going to produce either an ignorant or rebellious daughter. Guess which one I am.” Both of them laughed softly.

“So when she realized she couldn’t control me, I was left on the streets with nothing more than the clothes on my back and had to fend for myself. Slept outside a lot. Winter came eventually, though, and so I found the gift that was shelters. This is one I haven’t been to before. I was doing great for myself until you literally ran into me.”

“I like the way that worked out, dunno about you.” Laura mumbled.

Carmilla sat up and looked Laura in the eyes. “I think I like it, too.” Their eyes flitted to the other’s lips and back up at the same time. Laura wasn’t sure who leaned forward first, but soon they were kissing once more. They broke away when their roommates came in, and for the first night in weeks, Laura settled into bed peacefully and with a smile on her face.

\------

The rest of the winter went by smoothly, with Laura getting more successful picks and lifts, and of course, kisses. Once they got rid of the unspoken fact that they were attracted to one another, they discovered that they had ample time and opportunity to be kissing instead of anything else.

One day when it was the warmest it had been in months, Carmilla took Laura out to the park where they had a picnic. It wasn’t much, but Carmilla boasted about going to the actual grocery store and stealing none of the food.

“Where’d you get the blanket?” Laura asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

“Some young straight couple was ignoring it…” Carmilla trailed off, the corners of her mouth twitching up slightly. Laura rolled her eyes and let herself enjoy the nice day, good meal, and Carmilla’s company.

She was happy. Maybe she wasn’t in the best place financially, but even without stealing she got at least one hot meal a day, and she had a bed to sleep in. And perhaps meeting Carmilla put a damper on the whole finding a job thing, but she would do that eventually.

She was cuddled up in Carmilla’s bed the morning after their impromptu picnic when a familiar voice sent a spike of dread into her gut.

“Yeah, this is a photo of her. She’s been missing for a month and a half now, and a friend told me to check homeless shelters around here. Have you seen her?”

Her father. Vicky’s voice answered him, but Laura couldn’t make out what she was saying.

“Carm?” Laura whispered, shaking the other girl awake.

“No.”

“Carm, my dad’s downstairs.” Laura’s throat was closing and tears were already spilling down her cheeks. She ran both hands through her hair as Carmilla sat up.

“Fuck. What do you want to do?” Carmilla’s eyes showed she was more scared than her steady voice let on. “Do you want him to find you?”

Laura locked eyes with the other girl and shook her head. “Not particularly? I don’t know…”

Carmilla scrubbed her face with her hands. “Start shoving everything in your backpack.”

They packed quickly and had their bags on their shoulders ready to go when there was the sound of boots coming up the stairs.

“Oh god oh god.” Laura whispered, backing away with her eyes wide.

“Sweetheart!” The man’s voice boomed and he took Laura in a big bear hug that she tried to cringe away from.

“Hi, dad.” Her voice trembled.

“I’m so glad I found you safe.” He sobbed, still clutching Laura to his chest. Laura managed to wriggle out of his grasp and move back towards Carmilla, who grabbed her hand.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in, Laura?” Her father narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t think she wants to go with you.” Carmilla said in an even tone, her eyes meeting his.

“This is none of your business, kid. Laura,” Mr. Hollis reached forward and grabbed Laura by the arm. “You’re coming home. Now.”

“Dad! You’re hurting me!” Laura yanks back on her arm, but doesn’t come loose of the man’s grip.

“Let her go!” Carmilla growled, but Laura’s dad shot her a vicious glare that made even Carmilla shrink away.

Helpless, Laura got tugged back to her father’s car. She looked out the window and saw Carmilla on the porch, staring after them as they drove away, a forlorn look in her eyes.

\------

Carmilla wasted only two seconds in staring at the car before she stepped onto the sidewalk and grabbed a bike sitting outside of the house. Soon she was off after them, keeping the model and license number in her mind. She caught up with them at a red light and followed the car all the way to a residential suburb right on the skirts of downtown. She couldn’t bust Laura out in the middle of the morning, she’d have to wait for later. So she made a note of the address and cycled back into the city.

She double checked their beds at the shelter and found a Coke bottle three quarters of the way full with coin change under Laura’s bed. Carmilla stuffed it in her backpack and struggled to fit one of their blankets in as well. They couldn’t come back here, and chances were they were going to have to stay on the streets one or two nights. Thank the gods that the weather was finally warming up.

Come nightfall, Carmilla biked back to Laura’s house. Only the upstairs lights were on, and she could see two silhouettes pace around the room. Muffled shouting could be heard, but no words were distinguishable. Carmilla winced when she watched the taller one hit the other. Rage boiled inside of her and it took all of her self control to not storm the house and try to fight a man twice her size.

So, she waited. She ground her teeth and waited for Laura’s dad to leave the room. Eventually he did, and Carmilla palmed a few small rocks from the ground. She tossed one up towards Laura’s window, but missed and hit the siding. She tried again, this time hitting the glass.

The window opened up a few seconds later and Laura poked her head out. A grin spread across her face as she lay sight on the girl in her front yard. She disappeared back into her room before showing again, this time climbing out of the window and onto the roof in front of her. She scooted on her bottom to the edge and looked down at Carmilla.

“My knight in shining skinny jeans.” Laura whispered.

“Shut up and come run away with me.” Carmilla whispered back.

Laura nodded and sniffled, and that’s when Carmilla realised the other girl was crying. Laura jumped down, gasping and cursing under her breath.

“Bend your knees a little next time.” Carmilla murmured. “Let’s get you a bike to match mine and get the hell out of dodge.”

They managed to find a bicycle for Laura, and then they were off. They made it to an underpass where a few other homeless were gathered, and they settled in a nook separate from the others.

“It’s not much, but,” Carmilla unzipped her bag and pulled out the blanket she had managed to fit in it. “It’s something.”

Laura smiled softly and nodded, and a streetlight hit her face just right, showing the mark from where her father had hit her.

“Oh, darling.” Carmilla whispered, her voice cracking as she tenderly took Laura’s face in her hands. The other girl tried to turn away, but Carmilla turned her face back to her. Gently, she pressed her lips to the bruising flesh, and she felt Laura shudder and sob. They curled into one another, backs against the concrete underpass and a stolen shelter blanket pulled tightly around them.

They woke up stiff the next morning, but their bikes hadn’t been stolen, so that was a plus. They packed up the blanket, managing to fit it in Laura’s bag much easier.

“Speaking of things commandeered from the fort, I found your stash.” Carmilla said as they got on their bikes and continued in a direction that Carmilla could only describe as ‘away’.

“Are you serious? That’s like almost 50 bucks, by the way. So good catch.”

They stop in a motel at a small town. “A guy here owes me.” Carmilla said as they walked up to check-in. “He said I could have a month free if I was ever on the run from cops or if my mom ever showed up. So we can crash here until we save up enough money for other stuff. We can get jobs at fast food joints or whatever, and…” She stopped and turned to Laura, taking both of the other girl’s hands in her own. “And we can be happy. Just you and me… in… in love.”

Laura beamed. “In love?”

“With you and no one else, Laura.”

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr at carmunism.tumblr.com


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